A stationarily-mounted seating structure is typically mounted to the floor or other supporting surface of an auditorium, theater or the like, and generally includes a support located on each side of the structure, with a seat and a back disposed between and mounted to the supports. In some applications, the back is fixedly connected to the supports, and the seat is pivotably mounted to the supports for movement between a lowered, operative position and a raised, storage position.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a stationarily-mounted seating structure which is relatively simple in its construction and assembly, and which provides a unique design for the mounting of the seat thereto. It is a further object of the invention to provide a fixed position seating structure which is readily installed in a desired straight or curved row alignment and which is sturdy and long-lasting throughout continuous use. It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved mechanism for pivotably mounting the seat between supports for repeated movement between its lowered, operative position and its raised, storage position, as when the seat occupant rises to allow others to pass by. A still further object of the invention is to provide a compact and easily assembled, permanently located seating structure having a high degree of comfort for the seat occupant. Yet another object of the invention is to provide an auditorium or theater-type seating system displaying a distinctive, aesthetically appealing appearance.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a stationarily-mounted seating structure includes a pair of spaced supports, each of which includes a forward vertical support member and a rearward vertical support member, the supports being fixed to a support surface. A cross-member, preferably in the form of a shaft having a pair of opposed ends, extends between and connects the forward vertical support members. A seat is pivotably mounted on the cross-member for movement between a lowered, operative position and a raised, storage position. A back is mounted to and between the rearward vertical support members. The seating structure includes a pivot arrangement mounted adjacent each outermost edge of the seat for pivotably mounting the seat to the cross-member and limiting the range of pivoting movement of the seat. The pivot arrangement includes a stop element fixed on the cross-member and engageable with the seat, and a bushing mounted to the seat. The cross-member extends through the bushing so that the seat is pivotable about a pivot axis defined by the cross-member. The pivot arrangement also includes a bracket arrangement joining each of the ends of the shaft to one of the forward vertical support members. The bushing is a split member having an upper segment and a lower segment and is disposed between the stop element and the bracket arrangement. The bushing has a bottom wall fixed to the seat and a pair of non-parallel sidewalls, and a first one of the sidewalls is engageable against the stop element. A pivot brace is interposed between the sidewalls of the bushing, and a shroud is mounted to the seat for enclosing a portion of the cross-member, the stop element and the bushing. A second one of the sidewalls of the bushing is engageable with the shroud.
In another aspect of the invention, a seating structure has a pair of spaced supports fixed to a support surface and a seat pivotably disposed between the supports. Each of the supports includes a forward vertical support member and a rearward vertical support member. An assembly for pivotably mounting the seat to each of the forward vertical support members includes a shaft extending between and connecting the forward vertical support members, the shaft defining an axis about which the seat is pivoted. A bushing is fixedly mounted to the seat for rotation about the shaft, and a stop element is fixedly connected to the shaft against the bushing. A cushioning arrangement is mounted to the seat and is selectively engageable with the stop member to limit movement of the seat in the first direction and the second direction of pivoting movement of the seat. The stop element includes a curved engagement surface having an upper portion and a lower portion. The cushioning arrangement includes a first cushion limiting the pivoting of the seat to a lowered, operative seat position, and a second cushion spaced from the first cushion and limiting the pivoting of the seat in the second direction to a raised, inoperative position. The first cushion is engageable with the upper portion of the stop element and the second cushion is engageable with the lower portion of the stop element. The shaft has a pair of opposed ends, each of the ends being joined to one of the forward vertical support members by a bracket arrangement. The bracket arrangement includes a platform bracket fixedly secured to the forward vertical support member, a mounting tab extending from the platform bracket, and a foot bracket joined to one of the ends of the shaft between the platform bracket and the mounting tab. The assembly includes a pivot brace having a substantially horizontally disposed section fixedly attached to the seat and a substantially vertically extending section having an opening for accommodating the bushing. The cushioning arrangement is located on the substantially horizontally disposed section of the pivot brace, and the bushing is supported on the substantially vertically extending section of the pivot brace. The assembly includes a shroud secured to the seat and enclosing the bushing, the stop element and at least a portion of the shaft. The bushing has a thrust surface engageable against the stop member and a flared surface engageable and contoured with the shroud. A counterweight is mounted to the seat for urging the seat to pivot in the second direction. The bushing, the stop element and the cushioning arrangement are all located externally of the seat. The bushing has an upper segment and a lower segment, each of the segments being arcuately recessed to rotatably receive the shaft.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, a seating assembly has a pair of spaced support members and a seat located between the support members, the seat defining a pair of sides and a lower surface extending therebetween. A seat mounting mechanism for pivotally mounting the seat between the support members includes a shaft extending between and connecting the support members, the shaft having a pair of opposed ends. A stop element is fixed on the shaft and is engageable with the seat for limiting the range of pivotal movement of the seat. A bushing is secured to the lower surface of the seat along each of the sides thereof and has an inner bearing surface for pivotably supporting the seat on the shaft and an outer bearing surface engageable with the stop element. The mechanism includes a pivot brace secured to the seat and supporting the bushing. A shroud is secured to the seat for concealing the stop element, the bushing and a portion of the shaft. The bushing has another outer bearing surface engageable with the shroud. The mechanism also includes a bracket arrangement for mounting each of the opposed ends of the shaft to one of the support members. The bracket arrangement includes a platform bracket fixedly connected to one of the support members, the platform bracket being formed with a hole therethrough. A mounting tab is joined to the platform bracket, and a foot bracket is fixed to one of the ends of the shaft and positioned between the mounting tab and the platform bracket. The foot bracket is formed with a slot and is movable throughout a range of positions in which the slot is aligned with the hole in the platform bracket to accommodate a curved or straight alignment in a row of seating assemblies. A fastener is passed through the hole and the slot for securing the platform bracket to the foot bracket after the seat is in its desired position relative to the support member.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.